What is and What Should Never Be
by xxtisheryxx
Summary: Driving down the highway, Hyde gets the scare of his life, but will this also be the thing that can set things right? A story I'm writing for my best friend
1. Pullin' a Leo

What is and What Should Never Be

The highway mile marker rattled as the black El Camino sped by. Zeppelin's "Since I've Been Loving you" blaring out the windows, disturbing the peaceful night. The young man driving wore a scowl on his face, his aviator sunglasses only partly hiding his discomfort. A cigarette rested between his fingers, gripping the steering wheel so tightly all color had drained from his knuckles. He didn't seem to notice though, as he only gripped tighter while the song played on, his scowl twisting into a look of sorrow.

_Working from seven to eleven every night,  
It really makes life a drag, I don't think that's right.  
I've really, really been the best of fools, I did what I could.  
'Cause I love you, baby, How I love you, darling, How I love you, baby,  
How I love you, girl, little girl.  
But baby, Since I've Been Loving You. I'm about to lose my worried mind, oh, yeah._

Not able to take any more Hyde reached out and with much more force then necessary yanked the volume knob on his car stereo to the left, pulling it off in the process.

"Shit!"

He tossed the plastic piece to the empty passenger seat, yelling out another obscenity. He stared out at the empty highway ahead of him, not for the first time he asked himself how he got here. This was not how it was supposed to happen! This wasn't how things were supposed to turn out damn it. He went after her didn't he? Why wasn't she waiting? Why wasn't she sitting in the dark crying over their love and then rushing into his arms when he arrived? Didn't she love him? Isn't that what she was always telling him? Instead she was sitting in that hotel room in that barely there robe, Kelso was there in his damn towel and Hyde was left feeling like a damn fool all over again. He should have known better.

There was a reason he kept his walls up, there was a reason he didn't let people in. This was why. In the end the only person you can trust is yourself but rather then listen to that little voice of reason he let her in, he let her trick him into believing he meant something to someone and that maybe, just maybe, he could have a happy life like the Forman's. Now he was stuck in this silent vehicle on this empty highway going God knew where but knowing it wouldn't be far enough.

He left out a frustrated sigh and said what he'd been thinking since he left that hotel room, "I'm such a dumbass."

"Yeah, you really are."

Hyde's first reaction was to slam on his breaks, lurching himself forward and sending the car into the other lane. He was thankful for the first time that he was on an empty highway, preventing any kind of accident. Still gripping the steering wheel Hyde tried to even his breathing.

When was the last time he smoked? He couldn't be that high could he? Or maybe it was sleep. He tried remembering the last time he'd slept. No, he'd gone longer without sleep and he'd MUCH more stoned in his life and never before had he heard voices. Holy shit, maybe Zeppelin was right, maybe he was losing his mind.

"No, you aren't hearing things. I'm really here."

Hyde licked his lips and tried to swallow, his mouth suddenly very dry. Slowly, ever so slowly he turned his head to the right where not a moment before the seat next to him had been empty. Now though, in the darkness of the car, he could see the silhouette of a person leaned forward and fiddling with his stereo, attempting to put the knob back in place. He watched as the person grunted with frustration and finally leaned back, giving up.

"You should really work on your temper Hyde."

It was a girl, that much he could tell by the voice but Hyde's brain was still trying to work out in his mind how she, whoever the hell she was, managed to get herself into a car going 85 down a deserted highway. He blinked a few times just to make sure he was really seeing what he thought he was and when each time he opened his eyes she was still sitting next to him in the darkness his mind went back to its first thought. He'd lost it.

"Chill man, like I said, I'm really here. Just, ya know, breathe and whatever."

Her voice was calming, but there was something about the way she spoke that seemed off to him. Still, he found himself relaxing at the thought she wasn't just some phantom from his own mind here to haunt him. His breath began to even out but he could feel adrenaline begin to pump through his system. Who the hell was this chick and why the hell was she sitting in his damn car trying to fix his stereo and telling him to be cool? In the darkness he couldn't see her face but as if she could read his mind he watched her shadowed hand reach up and flip the over head light on.

Bright light suddenly surrounded them and for a moment Hyde was blinded, already so used to the dark roads he'd been driving on for hours. Blinking rapidly he waited for his eyes to adjust before looking once again toward the passenger side. Yup, she was still there, but at least now in the light he could see her.

If he thought something seemed off about the way she spoke it was nothing compared to the way she was dressed. The first thing he noticed was little rhinestone on her nose before his eyes traveled to the matching one on the left side of her smiling lips. '_What the hell?_' he thought before his eyes continued their mission of soaking in this mystery women. She was dressed in the strangest way, a hot pink t-shit with a picture of the Beatles on the front, a pair of faded tight blue jeans that were bunched above her puffy black and neon green shoes. Her skin was of an olive, mocha color and her hair was jet black with two strands of hot pink resting within the thickness. When he finally looked back to her face he saw she was still smiling, a kind gentle smile that her deep and dark eyes matched.

She let him take her in, knowing that you couldn't just pop into someone's car the way she did and not give them a moment to adjust. She kept smiling, kind of getting a kick out of his confused look. While he sat there sizing her up, she did the same. She'd been watching him for years, he was one of their ideals for the perfect man and her smile widened in approval at how right they'd been. He WAS even hotter in the flesh. This thought brought her back to the present though and her reason for being here. There wasn't much time left.

"Alright man, as fun as this silent staring is we got some things to do so uh, you might wanna turn the car around and head back the way you came."

Her words too snapped Hyde back to the present, where he was and why he was there. He suddenly felt a surge of hurt meshed with anger. Damn chick, telling him to go back to that? He didn't even know who she was, or what she was doing in his car, or where the hell she'd come from and she was sitting here telling him what to do? Hell no.

"Who the hell are you?" Hyde finally voiced.

"Oh shit man, yeah sorry. I smoked a little before coming here man, I'm sorry. Pullin' a Leo bein' all forgetful," she laughed at her self before extending her hand and saying, "I'm Lucy and I'm here to save you from the biggest mistake you'll ever make in your whole life."


	2. Eric's Turn

**AN: Hey there, if you made it past the first chapter then I thank you. I haven't written a FF in years, well it feels like years. However my best friend and I have been in full fangirl mode lately and been on a 70's how kick. She made a very bad choice of watching the last episode tonight though and well…I just had to save her poor little fangirl heart. She used to be such a Hyde/Donna fan but I pulled her away from the dark side and showed her that such evil was wrong and dirty. Haha. Really though, I never could see Donna with anyone but Eric and so, here I am to fix the wrongs that have been done. I just hope you enjoy the story. Lucy and Tishery are real people. You can take a guess as to who is who haha. I'll update as much as I can, and I really do enjoy feedback of any kind. I lack a beta so if there is someone out there willing to help give me a holler.**

Eric sat in the hard plastic chair and watched the people rush around him. He couldn't believe he was really here. A part of him couldn't be more excited that he'd finally made this choice, he was finally being a man and stepping up to the plate. Going all the way to Africa and start the next step in his life. He'd made Red proud, and even though his mother was a little crushed he knew she was proud as well. All of these feelings are what kept him moving forward with this plan because the other side of his brain, or maybe it was his heart he wasn't sure, kept screaming at him to turn around. Run back to her, screaming that he couldn't leave her behind.

That voice had been his driving force for so long. Doing what was best for THEM. This was what was best…Wasn't it? He'd get the money for college, they'd be able to build the future they'd always talked about. He HAD to do this, even if seeing her tear stained face as she pulled away broke every part of his being. He wanted to run after her, screaming to stop, to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay.

Covering his face with hands and sighing deeply Eric let his mind wander to other places, he just couldn't think about her pain anymore. The thought alone killed him. Instead he thought of his friends. He wondered how Hyde was. He knew he was rushing off to save what he and the devil had. The thought made him smile. He may not have been Jackie's biggest fan but any fool could see how much his two friends cared for one another. She'd mellowed out a lot in the last two years since she'd been with Hyde too, which was a great thing. Eric wasn't sure he could have handled much more if the spoiled cheerleader had kept up her mega bitch ways. He'd never know how Kelso put up with that for so long without smothering her with a pillow.

Kelso. Hm, Eric realized he hadn't seen his idiot friend when he'd left. The thought kind of worried him, Kelso was a lot of things, stupid being the main one but he was also loyal to a fault. The fact that he wasn't there to say goodbye to Eric bothered him more then he could understand. There was a feeling in the pit of his gut that told him that something just wasn't right with that. Letting out another sigh he leaned his head back on the uncomfortable chair and choose not to dwell on this thought as well. How bad could it be? Besides if something DID happen, he trusted his friends to be able to handle it without him there. They'd done as much before hadn't they?

"They're gonna fall apart without you."

The voice startled Eric, and his lanky self jumped about a foot in the air at it. Looking to his right, where the voice had come from, Eric saw the most frightening person he'd seen in his whole life.

It wasn't that she was scary per say. She was on the heavier side yes and with years of torture from girls like Big Rhonda he'd developed an unhealthy fear of chicks like her, but it was more then just that. She sat on the chair with her legs crossed under her, reading the paper, not even looking at him. Her hair was a jet black with the under layer dyed a hot pink, and two hot pink steaks in the front. A black headband with silver skulls keeping it all in place, he also noticed she wore a black Led Zeppelin shirt, black tights with a gray plaid skirt over those. Eric felt he could deal with all this though, oh yes but what really threw him were the three metal studs sticking out from her lip and the tattoo on her left wrist. Sure, it was a heart made of two music symbols but come on! What chick had piercings in her lips and a tattoo on her wrist! A scary one that's who!

During his evaluation of the chick, she didn't speak; she didn't even look at him. Instead she kept reading the paper in her hand, playing with the piercings in her lip and Eric wondered if she'd said anything at all. Maybe it was just his own deep rooted thoughts he'd heard and this random girl just happened to be sitting next to him. Looking to his left to make sure there wasn't someone there too, Eric decided it was best to move away from her least anyone thinks they were associated, he got the feeling she was planning to bomb a plane or something.

"Oh stop bein such a girl ERICA. I'm not gonna hurt you, you don't gotta scamper off."

Stopping mid rise, Eric turned to look at this girl next to him and his mouth went dry. How did she know his name? Or maybe it was just the first girl name she thought of to taunt him with. Yeah, that had to be it right? Right? Eric licked his lips and stared at her, waiting for her to say more but the only thing she did was turn the page of the paper.

"I…Uh…Sorry? I just didn't want to, you know, bother your reading or anything." Eric sputtered, still not sure if he should sit back down or finish standing.

"Sorry," she said finally setting aside the paper and looking at him with deep green eyes, "I'm just so excited to be here and reading the paper made me kind of feel apart of all this." She gestured around with her hand, giving him a kind of shy and embarrassed smile.

Eric just stared, still flabbergasted by what was happening. Wait, what WAS happening? He didn't even know, but he knew his legs were starting to burn a little and he needed to make a decision fast before they gave out on him. Damn his chicken legs.

The girl watched him, well; girl wasn't really the right word. He could tell she was around his age, but there seemed to be a more hard and mature edge to her. Then again that could have just been the fact he'd never seen anyone looking like her before. But she did have a kind smile, and the way she had bounced when she talked about being excited reminded him of Jackie. Thinking that, he decided there was no harm in sitting back down.

She watched as he made his choice, and beaming once he'd done so she said "Oh thank goodness. I swear I thought you were going to run off like a chicken shit or something."

"Whoa there little lady! You don't even know me!" Eric said, slightly offended.

"Oh, I know you dumbass! You're the one who set all this…this…I don't even know what to call it! It sickens me that much! Whatever it is though, you set it all in motion, you and your little quest to "prove" yourself!"

As she ranted, Eric quickly began to regret his choice. Clearly this lady was a little insane.

"I'm…Sorry?"

Eric said, confused as to what to do or say, and in all honestly trying to think of a way to get the hell outta there. His eyes darted around the crowded airport; no one seemed to notice the strange chick next to him, all too caught up in their own life to even care. Seemed he was on his own.

"Look, Eric there isn't much time okay dude? And as much as I'd love to sit here and chit chat all day about your dumbass doing dumbass things we've gotta get goin."

With that she stood, straightened her skirt and looked down at him expectantly. Waiting for him to too stand and grasp the urgency. Eric just stared at her blankly though, so confused and lost by this point to even have a proper train of thought. What the hell was going on? So she did know his name, and she seemed to know him but…What the hell?

"Come on Eric, I haven't got all day!" She said giving him a stern look.

"Man, who the HELL are you?" Eric asked, this being the only coherent thought running through his brain at the moment.

"Oh shit yeah, I'm Tishery. You can call me Tish. I'm here to help you fix your mistake or whatever I can't remember what we agreed to tell you but you need to get your ass up and moving because we're on a tight schedule here kiddo."

With that she grabbed his arm, pulled him up from his seat and dragged him through the mass of people. Eric got the feeling that even if he had the wits to, he couldn't have fought back.


	3. Stubborn Ass

**AN: I was so happy to find out that people were digging the story! Thank you so much for that guys! I'm the worst with updating but this story is for my best friend so I have vowed to keep up with it, and have vowed to have the chapters be much deeper, longer and as in depth as I can get with these guys. So just, stick with me and if you see something wrong please just let me know! Enjoy everyone!**

"What the hell are you talking about lady? Look, just get the hell out of my car alright? I don't know how you even got in, but do the same thing in reverse and get out!"

Hyde's voice rose as he spoke. He was becoming angrier with this Lucy chick as the seconds ticked by. He still had no idea who she was or even if she told him her real name, because for all he knew that was just a lie. For all he knew she really was here to murder him and take all his cash and leave him to rot on the side of the road. Hell he still wasn't even sure she was real! The only thing Hyde really knew at this point was that he wanted to get her out of his car and as far away as he could.

Lucy simply smiled at him from her seat however, and crossed her arms over her chest. She had known this wouldn't be easy; it's why she'd taken Hyde. Hyde was rash and abrasive much like her best friend, and putting those two together would have just sparked some kind of war. No it was best that Tishery was left to deal with Eric, who was used to being pushed around and told how it was gonna be and she stick with Hyde, who needed the push but also needed someone patient and understanding to do so. With that in mind Lucy kept smiling at her curly haired companion and waited for him to calm a bit before talking..

"Did you really think that would work," she finally asked, "cause seriously, I thought you were smarter then that. I know this is shocking and everything and I'll explain as much of it as I can to you in the time we have but you just have to listen to me on this one and turn the car around okay?"

With that she reached out and placed a gentle hand on Hyde's arm. Rather then jerking away like he thought he would he felt a sense of calm wash over him, he wasn't sure how but he suddenly knew he had no reason to fear the woman sitting next to him. No matter how strange her being there was, or how strange she herself happened to be. Hyde nodded once to let her know he understood what she'd asked before turning himself forward again and starting up the stalled car.

That battle won for now, Lucy pulled her hand away and relaxed into the seat. There was still a war ahead of them but she was just going to enjoy the silence while she could.

_Half Hour Later_

In the time since the Lucy chick had came into Hyde's life, he'd learned a few key things. First, she was in fact real. When they'd walked into the empty diner the waitress had eyed the two with mild interest until really taking in just how Lucy was dressed and looked. He watched her eyes widen in surprise, and then shrug it off. Hyde guessed she was used to seeing strange people come in and out of this place, or just didn't care enough how the costumers looked, so long as they were there to buy something. Other then the waitress and a man sitting at the counter with a chef hat and reading a paper, there wasn't another soul in the place.

The second thing he'd learned was that she was quiet. It wasn't a creepy kind of quite where you wonder what they're thinking, or plotting but more of a comfortable one. Since he started driving she hadn't spoke until the sign announcing the diner and even then it was just a suggestion that they stop there. He was baffled by it all he had to admit.

This thought brought Hyde to the third thing he had learned. She knew him. He didn't know how because he had never met this broad in his life and he could be sure of that. Someone like her would have stuck out like a sore thumb, something you couldn't forget but no, no he was sure he'd not once ever met her. She knew him, and it was more then his name. He got the feeling she knew about him, who he was and how he carried himself. It was an eerie feeling that Hyde felt very uncomfortable with. He still remembered that she promised to explain so sitting down at the booth Hyde thought of just how he was going to get answers to the questions forming in his mind.

Lucy sat across from him, smiling up as the waitress made her way over to take their orders. As she guessed Hyde passed on getting anything, but Lucy decided to get them both a coffee anyway. It was going to be a long night and the less sleepy and cranky he was, the quicker they could move through things. There was so much to cover in just a few hours, and dread began to fill her. So many people were counting on them, what if they didn't make it in time? What if they couldn't make them see? Lucy wasn't worried so much about Eric, but Hyde? He was so jaded, so bitter. She had to do this though, there was no turning back now and she was going to do her damnedest to make it right. She had to. She could do this.

"Here you two go," the waitress said while filling up their cups and irrupting their thoughts, "and if you need anything else just give me a holler, I won't be too far."

Lucy smiled up her in thanks, before turning back to Hyde, well. It was now or never.

"How do you know me?" He spoke first though, determined to know what the hell was going on.

"Oh, that yeah damn man. Yeah…It's kind of hard to explain Hyde." She looked down to her coffee as she said this, avoiding his gaze.

"Well try, 'cause I gotta tell ya I'm about two seconds away from getting up and leaving."

There it was; the stubbornness she'd been waiting for. Taking a deep breath she prepared herself for the struggle she had ahead of her.

"Alright, I'll try to tell you the best I can but I need you to make a deal with me okay man? You have to listen to everything I say, and no leaving."

Hyde shrugged in agreement while rolling his eyes.

"Well," she began, looking back down at her coffee, "there are things out there, things that no one can understand. Things I don't even fully understand because no one is really supposed to understand them. There are Fates, and the Powers That Be and a buncha other stuff. Where I come from we're I guess what you'd call watchers," she looked up, making sure he was still listening and saw his blank Zen stare, "I know it sounds strange and believe me it kind of is. Your life, your friend's lives, we watch and observe. Things are about to happen though man, things that are going to shatter everything around you guys and we've been given the chance to change that."

"You…Watch us?"

If he thought her being in his car was weird, or the way she dressed, or how she talked, if he had thought any of that was weird it was nothing compared to what she was telling him right now. Fates? Powers That Be? What the hell was this chick on and where the hell could he get some because it seemed to Hyde she was living in a nice little buzzed bubble.

"I told you it was hard to explain, even harder to understand. I'm not here to get you to understand that though Hyde man, I'm here to get you back to Jackie and make this right again."

He'd heard people say they'd seen red when angry enough but in all the years Hyde had been angry, all the times he thought he could really kill someone he had never experienced it himself, not even when he watched Kelso's bare ass run from him at the hotel because to be honest he didn't let himself care enough to get that mad. This random women however, with her crazy talk, telling him to go back to the one person he'd ever let in and had ever allowed himself to really feel for only to have her turn around and break everything, well, he saw a red hue around things as he stared into Lucy's face.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Hyde spat at her, "I'm not going back to Jackie after what she did with Kelso!"

"Man, but what did she do with Kelso?" Lucy asked Hyde with a sad smile.

"She slept with him man! You said you watch us or some crazy shit, you should know! Why are you asking me huh?"

Hyde felt another wave of sorrow wash over him, like the one he'd felt when he saw his best friend half naked and talking about sex. He pushed that feeling aside, just like he'd done then, and made room for anger. Why was she making him relive that moment? Think about it? Picture those two on that bed and laughing at Hyde's foolishness while kissing and touching and FUCK there was that pain in his chest again.

"Oh, so you saw them together then?"

Lucy took a sip of her coffee but kept her eyes on Hyde. He may have liked to think he was emotionless stone, that he was pure Zen but she could see right through him. She watched as the pain took over, trying to replace that with anger then smiled slightly at the confused look now on his face caused by her question.

"I…No…But I didn't need to see them alright man? I know what was going on. He was half naked and was TALKING about sleeping with her for Christ's sake! I didn't need to see anything to know what they were doing."

Hyde slammed his fist down on the table top, causing Lucy to Jump. Good he thought, scare her and maybe she'll leave. Damn her for making him feel all this shit again. He just wanted to forget it all, forget everything, to drive the hell away and never ever look back.

Lucy watched Hyde's chest rise and fall rapidly, he was furious that much was clear. She wanted so much to be able to tell him everything instead of watching him suffer over this but she knew the rules. He had to figure it out on his own; she just had to give him a map of sorts so he wasn't so lost on the way there.

"Kelso is always talking about sex man, with everyone. He's always even trying to get into Donnas' pants right? So, what made you think this time was serious?"

Her words felt like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind and anger right out of him. She had him there, Kelso was always talking about sex and he was always after pretty much anything with two legs and boobs. What had made him think that something really had happened? Well, there was the fact that he was…

"Oh and don't even try and tell me it was cause he was half naked," Lucy spoke, "because honestly, when isn't Kelso trying to run around naked and show off his body. He was out getting ice when you got there wasn't he?"

He stared blankly at her, and wondered again if she could read his mind. Was that something that as a watcher, or whatever the hell she was, she was able to do? More important than that, he realized Lucy had a point. His best friend WAS a kind of whore, and Kelso DID believe his body was chiseled in the image of some Greek God or whatever. Kelso loved to be naked and he loved for anyone, man or woman, to see him that way. Did any of that matter? It didn't mean they didn't have sex right? Or that they wouldn't have before he showed up.

"Just cause they probably hadn't gotten to it yet doesn't mean they weren't going to man." Hyde said, but he could hear the doubt in his own voice.

With another sad smile Lucy shook her head at Hyde. "Dude, you've been with her two years now. Don't you know her better then that?"

He did. Or at least he thought he did.

"I know Kelso is a sore spot for you man, but you gotta look at it this way…Jackie's life began the moment she realized she loved you. She isn't that little girl she was with Kelso. Hyde she's a woman now who doesn't need to rush into the arms of a man to numb the sting of another's rejection. She grown up because of you; became who she is because of YOU Hyde. You should know that by now man."

"So…So she didn't sleep with him then?"

Hyde heard his own hopeful tone, and it made him kind of sick. Shit! He'd become Forman, all girly and needy of a chick's love but Lucy was right. Jackie wasn't that spoiled cheerleader she used to be. Sure, she was spoiled and still kind of shallow but that's just who she was. There was more to her then that though and since he'd been with her, it'd come out for everyone to see, not just him when they were shut behind closed doors. She was smart, she was deep and she HAD grown up.

"I can't tell you that man, you're gonna have to ask her but that does bring us to the second reason why I'm here. Even if she says no, and you believe her, you're still gonna lose her."

"What?" Hyde asked with a slight edge to his voice.

"You're gonna lose her Hyde."

This chick was going to drive him insane, worse then anything Jackie had ever done. Hyde just knew it. She sat there with a pained look and pity in her eyes and playing these mind games with him.

"What are you talking about now damn it?"

Lucy just shook her head and waved the waitress over to refill her cup. She knew this wasn't easy for him, she knew nothing had really ever been easy for him. Not until the Forman's help but he still had struggles with that over the years. This had to be done though, a gentle slap in the face to wake him up from his foolish ways. Once her cup was filled and the waitress had stepped away Lucy looked back to Hyde.

"She wants forever with you."

"You think I don't know that man! I can't promise her forever though." Disappointment laced his voice.

"No," Lucy nodded in agreement, "no one can promise that and she isn't asking you to promise it. She just needs to know that it's her you want to try and get to forever with. She needs to know she isn't just there to pass the time for you, she needs to know that you love her Hyde."

Sending Lucy a glare, Hyde crossed his arms over his chest only to uncross them and re-cross them once more. Damn her.

"Jackie knows those things."

"You're such a stubborn ass, man! How does she know that? Have you told her that? Hell have you ever SHOWED that to her?"

With a burst of frustration Lucy began to chuck sugar packs at Hyde's head. She suddenly felt she understood Jackie's reasoning for always running around kicking this man in the shin.

Hyde's hands and arms blocked his face as sugar packet after sugar packet flew toward him. Crying out a few 'what the hell's and 'damn it stop!' in the process. His yelps didn't seem to phase her and only once she'd run out did she stop. Hyde looked up to glare at her but froze. Her dark eyes were already boring into his, a fire there that he wouldn't have expected from the kind women he'd seen so far. There was something about her stare that caused him to shut up and sit back in his seat. Almost like Mrs. Forman's, stern and something you just knew not to mess with.

"I'm sorry but, damn it man! How stupid can you be? We women? Yeah we can't read your stupid boy brains FYI! So I'm guessing by her knowing you must mean all those times you showed her right? Like when you ditched her on Christmas? Or told her 'I don't know' when she just needed a simple 'I love you' or even a 'maybe'! No, no I'm sure that did the trick Hyde. Sure she's just giddy with the knowledge that the love of her love really wants her too!"

Satisfied with her rant, Lucy sat back with a huff and contained to glare, hoping that something she said hit home. He had to know he hadn't been very encouraging of his relationship lately; he had to of known that he was avoiding her and leaving her hanging time after time. He had to know he was better then that, that he could give her better then that but maybe he didn't. Maybe his avoiding and bailing was because he didn't think he could give her better. Shit. Suddenly Lucy remembered why it was her that was here and not Tish, why she was the one sitting with Hyde trying to help him out. She was supposed to be understanding, caring and patient not throwing sugar packets at the poor guy. With a sigh, Lucy back tracked and thought of a new way to approach things.

"I get it, ya know? How it's scary and everything, letting go and trusting someone when all you're used to is being shit on, man I get it."

Lucy laid her left arm on the table top with her wrist facing up so Hyde could see the flower tattoo there. She knew this was a bad idea on some levels, she knew that the dates under the flower might scare the man but she figured he'd stuck around this long, one more thing couldn't hurt.

Hyde stared at the tattoo for a moment, noticing the way the numbers were set up, the way you'd see them on a tombstone.

"1956-2008"

"I got it for my mom," Hyde looked up to see her sad eyes watching him while she spoke, "she passed away. It was tough and it was the worst year of my life. I felt pretty alone man, even though I had siblings they had their own lives. I felt like I had no one but myself and that was scaring but, over time I realized I wasn't so alone. I tried closing myself off and being stone but man, I had these persistent friends. They were there and they didn't let me slip away. I learned to hold on and have a little hope for tomorrow. I learned that every day is a fight but in the end it's worth it. My friends became my own little fucked up family and I'm creating my own happy ending but Hyde, if you don't let go of your fear and your doubt in yourself…You'll never get yours. Jackie will never get hers."

With that she reached out and placed a hand on Hyde's crossed arm.

Hyde closed his eyes at her touch, he wasn't sure why he did but suddenly he saw a vivid scene before him. He wasn't sure what you'd call it. It felt as if he was there, living it, and it wasn't a memory because these were things he'd never seen before, things he'd never felt. It was almost like a movie playing before his eyes. Scene after scene, he watched and heard and felt what was going on around him. He watched as he punched Kelso, spoke with Jackie and almost forgave her. He watched as a blonde stood above him and claimed to be his wife, he saw the pain in Jackie's eyes as she ran from the room, a sob escaping just before the kitchen door swung closed.

He saw himself telling her that he was staying with Sam, her crushed look. He felt the pang of guilt but a surge of victory over power it. He watched himself belittle Jackie, taunt her, mock her. He watched as Donna turned her back on the brunette and friend the blonde. The fake tough front Jackie put up around everyone else but the broken way she carried herself, something only he seemed to notice while the other him ignored it all. Then there was Fez, there was Jackie and there was something growing. A bond that he tried to ignore, the real him and him he was seeing. He saw the blonde's real husband come, and watched her leave. He felt himself suffer but also felt a bitter taste that this was what he deserved. He saw himself drink himself numb, and he saw that God awful porno mustache he was sporting. All this, was nothing though compared to seeing Jackie with Fez, and to see a kind of happy look about her. She seemed content, but he could see the doubt she had when around the foreigner. He could feel her sense of settling and hope that this would be better then all the rest.

Hyde gasped as Lucy pulled her hand away, breathing heavily. He felt as if he'd been underwater, swimming with no air but had finally broken the surface.

"What the HELL what that man?" He asked between breaths.

"It's what will be, if that's what you choose. Look, Hyde, you have a choice here. That's what your life will be if you don't let go of the past alright? If that's what you want then fine. We'll live with it because it's what you choose but if it isn't and if she's who you really want to spend your life with, and work and fight and see if maybe there is a happy ending for you too then go back man. Go home and work it out. Create your own happy ending."

Lucy stood, smiled at Hyde and walked toward the exit but stopped midstride. She turned and looked at the man sitting staring at the wall ahead of him, a deep lost look on his face; there was just one more thing she had to do.

"Here." She said reaching out to touch him again.

Hyde jerked away though. "What the hell now man?"

"Don't be a baby alright;" she touched him and watched as his eyes closed, "I just wanted to be sure whatever you decide you had all the facts there to help. It's not gonna be easy man, but it'll be worth it. Oh and when you need someone to talk to about all this? Talk to Eric…He'll understand."

When Hyde opened his eyes, she was gone.


End file.
